The 12 Days of Jisbon
by unfinishe
Summary: Just one fic a day, hopefully, until Christmas. T for mentions of some adult themes, suicide, and inappropriate drug use in later chapters. Now up: Good Night COMPLETE
1. Hatred

1**12 Days of Jisbon**

**Pairing(s): Jisbon**

**A/N: Tiny little bit of credit goes to Ellipsis9 for her holiday fic. That's where I got the idea. Also, this one will be a bit longer than the others.**

**Disclaimer: The Mentalist and all related characters belong to CBS.**

**Chapter 1: Hatred**

Agent Teresa Lisbon felt stupid. Really. After all, of all the people on her team she could have ended up with, the name _she_ happened to draw was that of CBI consultant Patrick Jane. Really. Jane? Of all people?

And that brought her to her _second_ problem. What the hell do you buy for _Patrick Jane_ for Christmas? Knowing him, he probably already knew what she had gotten him.

Oh, and let's not forget her _third_ problem. Jane's car had broken down earlier that day. Being the only one with free time before the party, Lisbon got stuck taking him to the Christmas party. They hadn't even drawn straws, really!

So, gritting her teeth, she pulled into Jane's driveway.

He hated Christmas.

It had nothing to do how he couldn't decorate, because if he did, it would bring back too many painful memories. No, of course not. Nothing at all.

Okay, maybe that was a lie.

But it sure as hell had nothing to do with the fact that he could barely bring up enough courage to go out and get his stupid Secret Santa gift (really, who came up with this stuff anyway?).

All right, so maybe that was a lie, too. There was only one word for what he was. A coward. He might talk tough and say he was going to kill Red John, but he didn't even have enough courage to go out and by a Christmas gift.

But still, it had nothing to do with how he couldn't go out and buy a Christmas tree, because if he did he would have to put it in _that_ spot, and then he would have to put decorations on it, and...

All right, another lie.

But it had _absolutely_ _nothing_ to do with how when he woke up, it wasn't because a five-year-old was jumping up and down on the bed yelling for him to "come see what Santa brought me!"

Absolutely nothing.

He was jolted out of his thoughts by a pound on the door. "Jane!"

Lisbon.

"If you're not out here in five minutes I'm not waiting!"

Jane smiled a little.

But only a little.

When the door finally opened, Lisbon was about to leave.

"About time," she muttered. She turned and headed toward the car, yelling over her shoulder, "And no creepy psychic stuff in my car!"

Jane caught up to her in an instant, smiling. "Got it."

She rolled her eyes and climbed into her car.

It was too _quiet._

And he hated it. The silence allowed for too many memories to come rushing back. He set his jaw, and tried to start up a conversation a couple of times, but there was nothing to talk about. He tried staring out the window, but that didn't work either. There were too many Christmas lights.

So he turned, and, on an impulse, he turned on the music.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Lisbon roll her eyes, but he paid it no attention. He quickly got to a station he recognized and sat back, waiting for the advertisements to end and the music to come back on.

And when it did, he gritted his teeth.

Christmas music. Really. Was Red John hiding somewhere in the studio, just to mock him?

He changed the station, only to find the same result _every single time._ Finally, he got tired of it, and jabbed the button to turn it off. Maybe a little too hard, because Lisbon glanced over at him.

"What've you got against Christmas music?" she asked.

"Everything," he grunted. Oh _crap_, had he really just said that? How stupid _was_ he?

Lisbon glanced over at him again. "Should I ask?"

"Ask what?"

A third glance. (Why the hell was he _counting_ how many times she looked at him?) "What've you got against Christmas?"

He stiffened and turned to look out the window again, this time playing around with the button that put the window up and down.

"I don't particularly have anything against _Christmas_..." he said. _'Yeah,'_ he thought. _'Nothing against _Christmas. _Just against how everyone else can-,'_ He broke off that thought.

"Yeah you do." Lisbon's voice was almost laughing.

He ignored her and said, "When you were a kid, what was your favorite part about Christmas?"

"Presents." There was no doubt in Lisbon's voice.

He didn't smile. "Non-materialistic."

She seemed to think for a minute. "I guess... seeing my family."

He nodded. He should've known. "And what about now?"

"My dad comes to see me," she said carefully. Her words were chosen carefully, clearly wondering where he was going with this.

"And he's coming to see you this year as well," he guessed.

"Yeah," Lisbon said, glancing over at him for the fourth time that night (_Dammit_ he had to stop counting!).

Jane gritted his teeth. "That's my point," he muttered. Oh, God, if she heard that...

He stared out at the stupid, obnoxious Christmas lights. The red and green bulbs that hung from almost every surface of the houses they passed _had_ to be mocking him. It was worse than the radio, honestly!

"Jane!"

He froze, turning to look at her.

"You're breaking my window!" Lisbon snapped.

Jane glanced over at the window. Oh. She was right. His hand pressed down so hard on the button that his knuckles were white.

He looked away. "Sorry."

She sighed, and he glanced up at the road. "We're here," she announced.

Jane climbed out of the car and headed toward the front doors of the building.

Two words stopped him.

"Oh, _Jane..._"

Lisbon felt really, _really_, stupid. How could she not have noticed it before? He'd been dropping subtle hints _all night_, and she hadn't noticed it at all. And then she'd had to drag him to this _stupid_ Christmas party. How _stupid_ was she?

It suddenly made sense. All of it.

Once upon a time, Patrick Jane hadn't been such a pain in the ass. Once upon a time, Patrick Jane had had a family. And then, in one sweep, Red John had taken it from him.

Along with any joy he might have gotten out of the holiday season.

"I..." she choked out, and it certainly sounded like she was choking.

"I'm so... I feel like..." She closed her eyes, and then opened them again. "Jane... God, I'm an idiot."

Jane turned away, ignoring her. She ran after him, and he stopped, just inside the building.

"Jane..." She grabbed his arm, tugging him around. "Jane, I-."

But he cut her off. Not by speaking, not by signaling for silence.

There was something against her lips.

It took her a moment to figure out that it was _his_ lips.

And then she had her arms around him, and he was pulling her closer...

Voices, floating down the hall, ahead of their owners. She knew those voices. Rigsby, Cho, Van Pelt. Something inside her whispered that she should be stopping this now, but she ignored it, and knotted her fingers in his hair.

And then, the voices stopped.

And then, there was a low whistle.

Dammit, she was going to _kill_ Rigsby.

She pulled away, glaring at the other agents. "Go," she snapped. "And you breathe a word of this to anyone, and I will _kill_ you, I swear."

Cho and Rigsby turned and hurried away. Van Pelt hesitated and opened her mouth to say something, but at the last minute she seemed to think better of it and scurried away after the other two.

Slightly out of breath, she looked up at Jane. "What the hell was that?" she demanded.

Jane's eyes flicked up to the ceiling, and then back down to her. She followed his gaze.

"Oh crap," she whimpered. Really. Whoever's big idea it was to put that damn thing of mistletoe _right there,_ she was going to kill them.

But then Jane pulled her closer and whispered, "Merry Christmas, Agent Lisbon."

**A/N: So? How was it? A little long, I know, but the next couple will be much shorter. Up next, it's Secret Santa time! Review!**

**Off to take over the world,**

**Crazy Girl**


	2. Secret Santa

**12 Days of Jisbon**

**A/N: WOW. I'm amazed at how many reviews that got! And like fourteen million people added this story to their alerts! Thanks guys! Anyway, here's the new chapter. It's a little bit shorter, but oh well.  
**

**Chapter 2: Secret Santa**

"Secret Santa time!" Rigsby proclaimed. "Does everyone have their gifts in?"

There was a murmur that ranged from "Just get on with it already" to "Sure," but they all had the same air: Yes.

"All right!" Rigsby said. "Presents are underneath the tree. Everyone go get yours!"

"You're not even doing it right," Lisbon muttered. "You're supposed to wait for a quiet _alone_ time to give the gift."

Rigsby shrugged. "Oh well. This is how we did it when I was a kid." He stuck his tongue out.

Lisbon clenched her teeth and whispered, "I'm sure you remember the little incident earlier. If you fear for your job, and you should, then you will stop that _right now_. And if it happens again, I will have your badge quicker than you can get that damn tongue of yours back inside your mouth. Is that clear, Agent Rigsby?"

Rigsby swallowed. "Uh, yeah. Sure boss. Whatever you say."

It wasn't hard for Lisbon to pick out which gift was to go to her. Whoever had bought it had had the audacity, or maybe the correct word was stupidity, to write _Agent Lisbon_ in big, capital letters across the red wrapping paper. She picked it up, gritting her teeth. Well, whoever it was, it wasn't Van Pelt, Cho, or Rigsby. The three of them feared for their jobs too much to even _think_ of doing that.

The package was small, virtually flat, and she inspected it, but didn't open it. She watched Jane out of the corner of her eye. He had kept to himself pretty much the whole time they had been at the party, and Lisbon had to admit that she wasn't looking forward to the ride home. She waited until he had picked up his own gift before turning away to open hers.

It was simple. Just a card. The outside had a few cheesy Christmas lines, and she merely skimmed them, not really caring what they said. She scanned the note inside quickly.

_Agent Lisbon,_

_I couldn't think of what to get you, so I decided to settle for this. Addmitedly, it isn't the best gift ever, but it will do. Anyway, my other gift is this: a puzzle. I'll leave you wondering who on earth decided to buy you a card. (Honestly, if you haven't figured it out all ready, you must not be as smart as you can seem.) _

_Merry Christmas_

Her eyes narrowed. Definitely not any of her team. None of them would dare to call her stupid, not even if it was simply an implication. She stuffed the card in her pocket. Whoever it was, they had done a good job of making her wonder.

She glanced around and found Jane watching her. Their eyes met for a split second and then he looked away.

She took a deep breath, and then made her way over to him.

He was sitting in one of the many chairs that the CBI had sacrificed for the party. He stared out the window with a glazed look in his eyes.

Lisbon wondered if it was really possible that this was the same man she had gotten caught under the mistletoe with earlier that night.

She wandered over to him, trying to make it look normal. When she reached him, she just stood there for a moment, staring out the window and trying to discern what he was looking at, before she spoke.

"Who wraps a card?" she wondered out loud, though she had a pretty good idea.

Jane shrugged. "I don't know. Why?" She smiled. He seemed to be in a better mood than he had been earlier, when she had been taking him over.

"No reason," Lisbon lied. She glanced over at him again, wondering if he would really believe her, and she spotted a box shaped heap of shiny red wrapping paper lying in his lap. She bit her bottom lip. He hadn't opened it yet.

"You planning on opening that?" She gestured toward the gift, trying to make the movement nonchalant.

"What's the point?" he asked in a tone reminiscent of how he had been in the car earlier. Her heart sank. Until now, he had been back to his normal self.

"You'll hurt somebody's feelings," Lisbon murmured. At that, his eyes narrowed and he looked up, frowning. She stared back, feeling slightly self-conscious. She wondered if she had something on her face. She reached up to brush her hair out of her face, discreetly brushing her hand across her face to check as she did.

It didn't look like Jane had seen, though. He was staring moodily at the gift. "Fine," he muttered. He ripped the paper off in one clean sweep, and then froze. He stared at the box for a minute, and then looked up at her, blinking in surprise.

"What…" he started, but didn't finish. He blinked again.

Lisbon blushed. "You always wear those same shoes," she explained bashfully. "So I thought…"

"That had to have cost more than ten dollars," Jane said, clearly floundering around inside his head for a reason not to accept the gift.

"They're used," Lisbon said, staring at the floor. She didn't dare meet his gaze.

"You…" Jane sounded for all the world like he was choking, and she looked up nervously to make sure he wasn't. His eyes were wide. Something in the back of her mind whispered, _'His eyes change color.'_

"I what?" she asked quietly.

"Jane!"

Lisbon jumped, and then closed her eyes. When she opened them, Jane was standing.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Rigsby needs my help with something," he said.

"Oh." She glanced up at his eyes again and bit her lip. "See you."

Jane's eyes narrowed, but he didn't seem mad. "Yeah. See you."

They stood there for a moment, and then, abruptly, he pulled her chin up and kissed her.

She pulled away after only a moment. "More mistletoe?" she guessed.

"Guess we've just got really bad luck," he murmured.

"We really should stop doing that," she whispered.

"Maybe."

"Jane!" Rigsby again.

"Dammit Rigsby," Jane muttered. He turned, dropping her chin. "I'm coming!" he called back.

He didn't say good night.

**A/N: How was it? I NEED FEEDBACK PEOPLE! Review! THAT MEANS YOU!**

**  
Off to take over the world,**

**Crazy Girl**


	3. Drunk

**12 Days of Jisbon**

**A/N: I apologize for any OOCness in this chapter, but you'll understand exactly **_**why**_** there's OOCness as you read.**

**Chapter 3: Drunk**

Jane was careful to make sure that he didn't end up behind Lisbon as the party ended. _'No more mistletoe incidents,'_ he promised himself.

"Hey Jane!" Rigsby called.

He turned. Rigsby and Cho stood by Rigsby's car.

"Cho and I are going out for a drink," Rigsby said. "You coming with?"

Jane glanced over at Lisbon.

"Or you could hang out with your new girlfriend," Rigsby added in a joking tone.

Jane gritted his teeth. "I'll come," he snapped. "Just let me tell Lisbon."

He jogged over to the agent in question. "I'm going out for a drink with Cho and Rigsby," he said.

Lisbon raised an eyebrow. "How are you planning on getting home?"

He shrugged. "I can call a cab."

Lisbon shrugged. "Whatever. Night."

"Goodnight," he murmured in response as he watched her back up and leave.

Once she was gone, Jane ran back over to Cho and Rigsby and climbed in the car

"You ready to go?" asked the Asian man. "Or are you going to call Lisbon back here?"

"Oh, leave the guy alone Cho," Rigsby said, casting a glance back at him through the rearview mirror. "It's not often a guy's good enough to get stuck under the mistletoe with Lisbon and live."

"True," Cho admitted.

"Just shut up and drive," Jane muttered.

Rigsby laughed again, and then they were off.

* * *

Lisbon had only driven half of the way home when her phone rang.

She scrambled for a minute as she tried to find it. When she finally did, she quickly put it to her ear and said, "Hello?"

"Theresa?"

A smile spread across her face. "Dad! What's going on?"

"Nothing, nothing," her father assured her. "My plane's about to take off, and I figured I should call you."

"You want me to come pick you up when you get in?" Lisbon asked.

"I won't get in until late," her dad said. "Or maybe the right word is early."

"No, don't worry about it," she assured him. "Just call me when your plane lands."

"No problem Theresa," her father said. "I'll talk to you later then."

"Bye."

"Bye."

It was only a few minutes later that she reached her apartment. Once inside, she shivered. The difference in temperature between the outside and her apartment was considerable. At least, it was by her standards.

She yawned and glanced over at the clock. Almost midnight. She wasn't usually this tired. But then again, she was usually working on a case at midnight, and that usually kept her pretty energized.

'_No more work thoughts,'_ she scolded herself. _'It's almost Christmas.'_

She barely had enough energy to crawl into bed, and it felt like only seconds later when the phone rang.

She glanced over at the clock and groaned. 4 AM. Who the hell was calling her at 4 AM?

She rolled over and pulled the cordless phone from its cradle. "Hello?" she croaked.

"Lisbon?"

She closed her eyes. Jane.

"What do you want?" she asked. "It's four in the morning. Can't this wait?"

"Not –hic– really, no." Something crashed in the background. Yelling. "Uh oh. Bar fight." A giggle.

It took Lisbon a moment to realize what he was saying. "Bar fight? Oh, God, Jane, where the hell are you?"

"Out for a drink." The words came out a bit slurred.

"Still?" Four in the morning? He hadn't gone home yet?

"Yup." Jane's voice was much too cheery.

"How many drinks have you had?" she asked, wondering if she really wanted to know.

"Um..."

"Ugh." She groaned again. "Where are Rigsby and Cho?"

"They –hic– headed home about, er... about two hours ago," Jane replied.

"You're drunk."

"Yup." Yet another hiccup.

"And you're calling me because..."

"Someone needs to come pick me up," Jane said.

"No Jane," she groaned. "Don't do this to me. It's Christmas for God's sake."

"Screw Christmas," Jane replied with a hiccup. "Come pick me up? Please?" He listed off the address of the bar, the words laced with hiccups and slurs.

"Dammit Jane," she muttered. "Why me? Of all the people you could call, why me?"

He ignored the question. "Great," he said. "See you soon."

"Jane, I–," She was cut off as he hung up on her. The nerve!

She climbed out of bed, grumbling to herself about the obnoxiousness of stupid fake physic consultants who hated Christmas.

As she got dressed and headed out for her car, she didn't notice her phone vibrating in her pocket.

When Lisbon reached the bar, she wasn't in a good mood. Not that you could blame her, really. After all, picking up the most annoying man she had ever met was _not_ on her list of things to do.

So when she got into the bar and saw the broken glass and the two men being pulled apart by a few bartenders, she wasn't about to wait around. She scanned the groups of people, mostly men, until she spotted Jane sitting at the bar and arguing with the bartender.

"Man, that's like your millionth drink tonight," the bartender said.

"One more," Jane said.

Lisbon reached the bar then. "No," she snapped. "Not one more. Come on, we're going."

Jane glanced over at her, surprise in his eyes. "You're here," he said.

"Yeah, I know," she snapped. "Now come _on_, Jane." She helped him to stand, trying to ignore the way he staggered a bit.

"Hey, he's still gotta pay for those last two drinks," the bartender said, frowning.

Lisbon reached into her wallet and shoved a fifty dollar bill in the man's face. "That should cover it," she snapped. "Come on Jane." She pulled him to his feet and pushed him along in front of her, ignoring how he staggered a bit.

"Get in," she commanded once they reached the car. He raised an eyebrow.

"Touchy," he said.

"Get _in_," she snarled, pulling the door open. He shrugged and complied.

She drove him home in silence, not saying a word. Finally, he spoke.

"You're mad," he said.

Her hands tightened on the steering wheel. "Yeah, Jane, I am. It's _four in the morning,_ and you decide to call me because you're _drunk._ Hell yeah, I'm mad."

"Sorry," he said, though the apology was a bit slurred.

Lisbon gritted her teeth. "Thanks Jane," she snapped. "That helps a lot."

"Sorry," he repeated.

Lisbon turned down his street, not listening to him. When they reached his house, he didn't get out. Too impatient to wait, she got out and held the door open for him. "Move," she snapped.

Jane got out and walked toward the house, staggering every now and then. But Lisbon had no sympathy for him. He had brought it upon himself.

When they got inside, she waited until he was in before turning to go. But something snagged her arm and she turned to see Jane holding it.

He took a step closer. "Don't go," he murmured.

"Let me go." She tugged her arm, trying to get him to let go.

"Stay," he whispered, leaning forward. She tried not to wrinkle her nose. His breath smelled like alcohol.

"Jane, let _go,_" she snapped, pulling harder, but he still didn't let go.

"Please?"

"No," she said. "I won't take advantage of you."

"Is it really taking advantage if I want it?" he whispered.

"You're drunk," she reminded him. "You don't know what you want."

"Yes I do," he murmured.

She ripped her arm out of his hold. "Stop," she said. And then she turned and left.

And as she did, a battle warred inside her. Half of her was satisfied that she'd had the intelligence to say no, and the other side was disappointed that she hadn't said yes.

**A/N: Yay, chapter 3! I've always wanted to write drunk!Jane. Now my wish has come true. XD Anyway, review!**

**Off to take over the world,**

**Crazy Girl**


	4. Family

**12 Days of Jisbon**

**A/N: Once again, about a million people have favorited/put this story on alert. It seems that there's more people **_**reading**_** Mentalist FanFiction than writing it. *rolls eyes* Anyway, here you go! Oh, and this one is a little depressing later on. Sorry it's so short. :(**

**Chapter 4: Family**

Lisbon didn't realize her phone was ringing until she had been driving for twenty minutes. For a moment, she thought it was Jane calling her to come back. Then she realized what a stupid thought that was.

'_I shouldn't even care,'_ she thought angrily at herself. She didn't bother to check the caller ID.

"Lisbon," she said.

"Theresa?"

Oh _crap._ Her dad. She'd completely forgotten to pick him up at the airport. Crap, crap, _crap._

"Dad, I--," she started.

"Don't worry about it, Theresa," her dad said. "I got a rental car."

"Where are you?" she asked.

"Knocking on your front door," he replied simply. "A better question would be, where are _you?_"

Did he _really_ have to ask that question? "Uh..."

"Theresa..." There was a tone in her father's voice that reminded her of when she was a kid.

"I had to go take a friend home," she said.

"Ah." He clearly understood. "I get it. You don't have to say anymore."

"I'm almost home," she told him, wanting to change the subject but also rounding the corner at the same time.

"I'll be waiting," he said.

"Yeah," she murmured, and then shut the phone.

When she pulled into her parking space, the one marked with her apartment number, she leaned forward, resting her head on the steering wheel and trying not to hit the horn.

'_What a day,'_ she thought. And to think that it was all Jane's fault.

Finally, she got out of the car. Her father was standing in front of the door, waiting patiently.

"Dad!" she called.

He turned, and his face broke out into a grin. He jogged over to her, and they met in a hug.

"Hey," he whispered.

"Hi Dad," she whispered in reply.

The hug was comfortable, but awkward. It had been so long since she had hugged her dad. Too long.

Finally, he released her, and he took a step back, his eyes skimming over her. "It's been a while," he said, laughing a bit. "I feel like I'm your grandma, seeing you once a year when you were a kid." His eyes softened. "You've changed, Theresa."

She raised an eyebrow. "Dad, it's only been a year."

He chuckled. "One year too long," he replied, and then he pulled her close in another hug. She hugged him back.

Like a faint memory from when she was a kid, a single thought passed through her mind, just one thought that reminded her that not all lives were as good as hers.

_Jane.

* * *

  
_

The pills were _taunting _him.

Like Red John. Like the Christmas lights. Like the radio station. Like the stupid Secret Santa gift exchange. Like the mistletoe.

It would be so easy. All he had to do was press down on the lid and twist. Just one. Or two. Just enough to let him sleep.

After all, that was all they were. Sleeping pills. All he needed was enough to let him sleep without the dreams.

But another one or two. Or three. Maybe four, if he needed to. Even if he made it through _this_ Christmas, would he make it through the next?

Just one. Or two. Or three, or four, or five. Just enough. He just wanted to sleep. Was that so bad?

Just one. Or two...

**A/N: DUN DUN DUN. Again, I apologize for the shortness, but I had to update and I didn't have a lot of time. Sorry! Anyway, make sure you review! It **_**so**_** makes my day when I get to read all of your reviews. You guys rock!**

**Off to take over the world,**

**Crazy Girl**


	5. Helping Out

**12 Days of Jisbon**

**A/N: AAAAH! I'M SO SORRY! I FEEL SO STUPID NOW! I apologize to EVERYONE who waits patiently for me to update! I'M SOOOOOO SORRRY! Today there will be TWO updates to keep me on schedule! I'M SOOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOORRRRRY!**

**Chapter 5: Helping Out**

At seven in the morning, Lisbon woke up. There was a wonderful smell coming from the kitchen. She inhaled deeply. Her dad's cooking. If there was one thing she would never be able to comprehend, it was how it seemed that all other men sucked at cooking, and her dad was the best cook she had ever met.

And then she remembered what day it was.

It was Christmas.

For a minute, she felt like a little kid again, waking up and running straight to the Christmas tree to see how many presents had appeared overnight, brought by the mystery that was Santa Claus. Then she crashed back to the present and remembered that she wasn't five anymore. And she wasn't six or seven or eight either.

Oh well. That didn't matter. She may not be a little kid, but she could live with that.

She took a few minutes to just lie in bed and act like she was still asleep, half hoping that she _would_ fall asleep again, but she had no such luck.

Finally, she sighed and got rolled over. 7 AM. Three hours since Jane had woken her up in the middle of the night to go pick him up from a bar. She'd gotten, what, six and a half hours of sleep? How the _hell_ was she so rested?

Then again, she mused, who cares?

She _really_ wanted to roll over and go back to sleep. Everything was so _peaceful_, not like her normal life. Normally, if she'd woken up at 7, she'd be scrambling to get to work before everyone else. But now, she could just _rest_, without worrying about work or Jane or dead people or…

Wait. Why the hell was Jane in that—

_RING!_

She nearly fell off the bed when the phone rang, flinching.

"Teresa!" a call came from the kitchen. "Phone!"

"I got it," she called back. Ugh, she sounded so _off_. She should've _known_ getting that little amount of sleep would make her sound like she hadn't had a drink in about a week.

She grabbed the phone out of its cradle and hit the talk button. "Hello?" she croaked.

"Lisbon?"

_No._ Not _again._ Really, she didn't have the time to attend to his every single need!

"Dear _God_, Jane!" she groaned. "I _am_ not doing _anything!_ It's Christmas, for God's sake! Hang up!"

"Lisbon…"

There was a strange sound to his voice, something off. Whatever it was, it made Lisbon's blood run cold.

"Jane, what the hell did you do?" Lisbon demanded, already rolling over and getting up.

"I was tired," he said simply, but Lisbon did have to agree with him. His voice was a mix of tiredness and something else, something she couldn't identify.

"What. Did. You. Do."

" 'M tired," he murmured.

"Jane!" Lisbon shouted, alarm shooting through her. "Stay with me! Just tell me what you did."

"I only wanted to sleep…" His voice trailed off at the end, and a staticky sound came through, followed by a thud.

"Jane!" she shouted into the phone, pulling on her jacket. "Jane!" No response.

"Teresa?" There came a tentative knock on her door. "Teresa, what's going on?"

She pushed the door open, hanging up on Jane and shoving the phone in her father's face. "Take this," she said.

"Teresa," her father said, frowning. "What's going on?"

"I have to go Dad." Lisbon pushed past him.

She hoped she wasn't too late. No matter how cheesy that sounded, she hoped to God that she wasn't too late. Because whatever Jane had done, if he didn't come out of it, she would blame herself. Forever.

**A/N: Wow, I feel stupid. First I update late, and now I'm posting this extremely short chapter! Don't worry, there will be a second update later on tonight. I promise!**

**Off to take over the world,**

**Crazy Girl**


	6. Just In Time

**12 Days of Jisbon**

**A/N: Okay, I'm not gonna beat myself up about this anymore. Sorry if I don't update on time.**

**Chapter 6: Just in Time**

Lisbon had barely put the keys in the ignition when she heard the call.

"Teresa, wait!"

She rolled down the window and yelled, "I need to go. _Now._"

Her dad came to a stop a few feet from the car. "Teresa, where the hell do you think you're going?"

"Get away from the car," she snapped. "I need to go do something."

Her father's face suddenly reminded her of her childhood, but not a time she had liked. "Teresa! You are not going _anywhere!_"

"Dad," she snapped. "If I'm not over there in five minutes, he's going to _kill_ himself."

"Who the hell are you talking about?!" he yelled.

Gritting her teeth, she snapped, "It doesn't matter."

"Teresa," her father said, glaring. "Wherever you're going, it can wait."

"No, Dad, it can't," she argued.

"I'm coming with you," her father said firmly.

She closed her eyes, trying to find a reason to say no, and not finding one.

"Fine," she snapped. "But get in quick."

"Wherever we're going," he said as he got in and buckled his seatbelt, "you sure as hell better stay under the speed limit."

She ignored him and quickly backed out of the parking space, and then took off.

* * *

It took way too long to get there. It didn't help that her father was practically screaming at her every time they came around a corner, every time they passed a speed limit sign. It also didn't help that the cops were _all over_. If she'd been able to get over there at least _a little bit faster_, maybe she wouldn't have had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that Jane was going to kill himself.

She didn't take the time to take the keys out of the ignition when she got to his house. As soon she had put the car into park, she shoved the door open and practically jumped out of the car.

She didn't bother with the front door either. What she did couldn't really be called "trying" the door. What she did was really throwing the door open.

She narrowed her eyes. Inside Jane's house, it was dark. It didn't look like there were any lights on. She took a step inside, casting her gaze around the room.

"Jane?" she called. A small noise came from nearby. She whipped around and spotted him sitting on the floor, back to the wall and humming to himself.

She quickly hurried over and knelt down next to him. "Are you alright?" she demanded.

"Absolutely," he said, smiling a bit.

"What'd you do?" she whispered.

"_Way_ too many," he murmured, leaning his head back against the wall.

She sighed. "Idiot," she whispered.

"I know," he said, sounding a little bit too happy.

"Come on." She moved to help him up, and then his eyes opened a bit, and he frowned.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Do you really think I'm going to leave you here after what you did?" Lisbon asked. She snorted. "You're coming home with me."

"Fine." She wrapped one arm around his back and let him wrap his own arm around her shoulder, then carefully helped him onto his feet.

"Come on," she whispered. She helped him move slowly toward the door.

It was going to be tricky explaining this to her father. If Jane had only been hung over, it would have been one thing. The fact that he was high was another thing.

"You're an idiot," she said.

"I know," Jane repeated.

She could see her father's dark face long before she ever got in the car. He was absolutely furious, she could tell.

She drove slower on the way home. Jane fell asleep in the backseat, and her father sat in absolute silence, not even moving.

When they reached her apartment, she paused for a moment, watching for Jane to wake up in the rearview mirror, which he did, blinking his eyes open tiredly.

"Go inside, Dad," she murmured. He frowned, but got out. Once he was inside, she climbed out of the car and went to help Jane out.

"That was a really stupid move," she murmured as she helped him shuffle slowly toward her apartment.

"Who cares?" he asked, blinking sleep out of his eyes.

"How about me?" she snapped. "That was _really_ stupid. No, if it was just some junkie on the streets it would be really stupid. The fact that it was _you_, who knows full well what the hell will happen if you decide to overdose, makes it incredibly stupid. You could have killed yourself!"

He was silent.

'_Crap,'_ she swore internally.

She didn't dare say anything, so she just sighed and shook her head. "Let's get you inside," she murmured, and helped him to the couch.

Within moments of laying down, Jane was out, his breathing quiet and even. Lisbon stared from the doorway for a moment, watching the slow movements of his chest, and then she slipped out of the room and into the kitchen.

**A/N: Sorry, not much action in this chapter. Next time you'll get to see her dad's reaction though, and **_**that'll**_** be fun to write. (Evil grin) Anyway, review, even if it's to yell at me for being late. XD**

**Off to take over the world,**

**Crazy Girl**


	7. Arguments

**12 Days of Jisbon**

**A/N: Sorry I didn't update yesterday. I didn't have enough time. Also, I apologize for the shortness.**

**Chapter 7: Arguments**

As Lisbon slipped into the kitchen, the lack of sleep caught up with her. She sat down heavily at the table, and only looked up when a dull thud sounded. She glanced up to see a plate loaded with eggs, pancakes, sausage, and bacon as well as a mug of coffee, get set down on the table. Her dad raised an eyebrow, and then took his spot across the table from her, setting down his own plate and mug.

"So..." he said. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Dad," she murmured.

They ate in silence for a few moments, and then her dad spoke through a mouthful of eggs.

"So," he said. "Who is this guy?"

Lisbon closed her eyes for a moment. Of _course_ he asked.

"Teresa..."

She looked up, recognizing the tone. "He helps us out with cases," she said simply.

Her father raised an eyebrow. "That's all?" he asked. "He's clearly a friend, since he's sleeping on your couch. And may I mention that said couch is _hell_ for my back."

"Oh suck it up," she said, rolling her eyes. "Yes, Dad, he's a friend. And he's been working with us for years now."

Her dad's eyes narrowed. "That's all?" he repeated. "You never went on a date, or got caught under the mistletoe, or..."

Lisbon started to cough as she choked on a bite of pancake. She could feel her father's worried gaze on her. _'Damn it Dad,'_ she thought. _'Was that last one necessary?'_

"Teresa..." There was a warning tone in her father's voice.

"No Dad," she said quietly, looking down at her food. "None of that."

"You were never even tempted? After all, he seems like a nice man. I'm sure when he isn't high, he's very–,"

"Dad!" she protested, looking up. "Stop. It's not funny."

But her father seemed to disagree, for he was laughing his head off. When he finally calmed down, he said, "You're right, it isn't. I'm not joking. I'm sure he's a nice enough man, but really Teresa. The man was probably trying to kill himself."

'_Judging by his behavior last night,' _she thought, _'I'm not so sure he's wrong.'_

"Dad," she said, ignoring the voice in her head. "He just has trouble sleeping, that's all. He must have accidentally taken too many or something."

"Sure Teresa," her father said. "Whatever you say."

She narrowed her eyes. It was obvious he didn't believe her. She sighed and returned to the meal, eating silently.

* * *

Later that day, as her father snuck out for a few last minute things he would need for Christmas dinner, Lisbon slipped into the family room to check on Jane. He was clearly awake, staring at the Christmas tree with dark eyes.

"You feeling alright?" she asked quietly.

He didn't say anything.

She walked over and sat down in one of the chairs nearby, watching him.

"You're staring," he said finally. His eyes flicked up to meet hers.

"You look like crap," she said, half as an excuse and half as an evasion.

"I feel like crap," he admitted. _'I should've taken him to the hospital,'_ she thought.

He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. "I'm just tired," he said, dismissing it.

She narrowed her eyes. He wasn't getting off that easily.

"Right," she said. "Of course. This could have nothing to do with the fact that you tried to kill yourself."

"I wasn't trying to kill myself," he said, but the words were so quiet that Lisbon barely heard him, and kept right on talking.

"And as if that wasn't enough, you decide to call _me_ instead of 911 or Rigsby or Cho or–,"

"You're closest," he said, but again she ignored him.

"At seven in the morning too!" she said, throwing her hands up in the air. "You're an idiot. A goddamn idiot, and one of these days, I won't be able to come pick you up and hold your hand and tell you it'll be alright."

"So don't pick me up next time," he suggested.

"_Next time?!"_ she yelled. "Dammit Jane, there won't _be_ a next time! Do you think I'm stupid? I'm not letting you go home until I'm one hundred percent positive you aren't going to try to commit suicide again." She spat out the word _suicide_, making it sound like a cuss word.

He didn't say anything.

She sat there for a few moments, taking a few deep breaths and trying to calm herself down. Finally, she got up and left the room, leaving him laying there on the couch.

**A/N: Well that was a bad ending. Sorry, but I didn't know how else to end it. Anyway, review! I need feedback! For all those of you who watch House (on FOX), reviews are my Vicodin!**

**Off to take over the world,**

**Crazy Girl**


	8. Caught

**12 Days of Jisbon**

**A/N: Christmas Eve! Alright! Merry almost Christmas everyone! And for anyone of another religion, happy Hanukkah, happy Kwanzaa, Diwali, whatever you celebrate! I'm in a giving mood, so I'll see if I can update more than once tomorrow. :D Enjoy! There's a little more Jisbon in this one for everyone who asked for it.**

**Chapter 8: Caught**

Lisbon sat at the table in her kitchen, playing around with a mug of hot chocolate. Her father was still out getting food, and Jane was asleep on the couch. It was peaceful, she thought. _'At least with Jane on the couch, I don't have to worry about him killing himself.'_

She heard the rusty springs of said couch as someone moved around. He had been tossing and turning ever since he had fallen asleep, and she was feeling a bit guilty about what she had said earlier. Her point still stood, but that didn't mean she'd had to be so obnoxious.

Someone cleared their throat and she looked up to see Jane standing there, his face haggard and his eyes tired.

She stood up. "You okay?" she asked.

"Fine," he said offhandedly. "I feel like crap."

"You should," she said. "Nobody gets off easy after a full night of suicide and drinking." He winced.

"I wasn't trying to kill myself," he muttered. She narrowed her eyes.

"Well," she said, trying to sound like she didn't care, "if you have to puke, I would prefer you made it to the bathroom. It's that way." She pointed.

He came over and sat down across from her. "I think I'll be fine," he said. "I got over that part a while ago." Now it was her turn to wince, remembering.

"Hungry?" she asked. "I think there's still some stuff left over from my dad's breakfast.

Without looking at her, he said, "I don't really think I'm welcome to it."

'_Amen,'_ she thought sourly. Her father clearly didn't approve of Jane, despite the fact that they had never even spoken.

"I'm not hungry anyway," he continued. "I'll be fine. I think I can go home now..."

She narrowed her eyes again. "Right," she said sarcastically. "Like I'm going to let you out of my sight. You're staying."

He raised an eyebrow. "What would your father say?" he asked in mock-disbelief.

"He can say what he wants," she grumbled. "It's _my_ house."

He grinned. "Whatever you say, boss," he said.

They sat in silence for a moment. As Lisbon finished off the last of her coffee got up to refill her mug, she could feel eyes on her.

"Now who's staring?" she asked, turning to look at him and taking a sip.

"No one," he said smoothly. "Just watching."

She rolled her eyes and snorted. "Whatever."

A few minutes of precious silence, both absorbed in their own thoughts. Lisbon turned to set her coffee down, not really needing the caffeine anymore. She flinched when she felt him come to stand next to her.

"Tense," he observed, raising an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing," she lied. _'Except the fact that you tried to kill yourself and now you're sleeping on my couch.'_ She glanced up at him.

"You're lying," he said, staring at her.

"No I'm not," she lied.

"Yes you are."

She ignored him, and went to turn away, but felt a hand catch her arm. She turned back to him and looked up. His face was dangerously close to hers, and she swallowed convulsively.

"Let me go," she whispered.

"Why?" he whispered in return, shuffling closer.

"There's no mistletoe in my house," she said, fumbling for an answer. "Let me–..."

For the third time in what seemed like forever but in reality had only been a few hours, he caught her lips in a kiss. It was more tender than the first, and more expected than the second, altogether different.

When they broke apart, she didn't do anything, just stood there for a moment, trying to look anywhere but at his face. He pulled her closer, arms wrapping around her. She finally gave in and glanced up at his face. His eyes were dark and serious, and he was frowning down at her.

She swallowed again, and rested her head on his chest.

Moments later, someone cleared his throat.

The two sprang apart. Lisbon's face colored and she glanced over to see her father standing by the refrigerator, his eyes narrowed. She felt like a teenager, caught by her dad with a high school boyfriend.

"Well, Teresa," he said slowly. "If you're done, I think I'll reclaim the stove so I can get started on dinner."

She swallowed again. "Um... Sure Dad. Sorry." She took a few steps away from the stove, giving her father access to it as he laid out the things he had bought at the store.

Without looking up, he said, "Mr. Jane, don't you think you should be going now?"

Jane had seemed frozen until then and only now did he unfreeze. "Of course," he said hurriedly. "Sorry." He glanced over at Lisbon, but she didn't let herself catch his eye.

It wasn't until he was out the door that she remembered the promise she had made.

**A/N: Awkward... Poor Lisbon. She's really gonna get a yelling from Daddy. XD Anyway, review!**

**Off to take over the world,**

**Crazy Girl**


	9. All GrowedUp

**12 Days of Jisbon**

**A/N: Wow, you guys must hate me. I promise you guys two updates on Christmas and then don't update for two days in a row. Hope you guys are still in the Christmas mood. By the way, whoever requested some Jane-Lisbon's dad interaction, there'll be some in the next chapter.**

**Chapter 9: All Growed-Up**

Lisbon turned away from her father, trying to make it look unsuspicious.

"Teresa Lisbon!" her father snapped. She winced.

"What the hell was that?" he demanded. "The man was _high_ when you got him here! And judging by earlier, I'd say he was the drunk friend you had to run off to pick up as well."

She winced again and turned around. "Dad–," she tried.

"No Teresa," he said, eyes flashing. "I told you what I thought about him. The man can't be trusted. Stay away from him."

Unexpected anger flashed through her. "Dad, in case you've forgotten, I'm not a teenager anymore. I moved out years ago. You stopped controlling me the day I left."

Her father's eyes narrowed. "Teresa..." he said in a warning tone.

She glared at him, and he glared back. They stood like that for a few minutes, and then she turned away, walking out of the room.

"Where are you going?" her father demanded.

Lisbon spun around. "Dad, I'm a full grown adult," she snapped. "You don't need to know where I am 24/7."

"Judging by your irresponsible behavior lately," he snapped back, "I'd say I do."

She gritted her teeth and, grabbing her coat on the way out, stormed out the door.

* * *

Jane was attempting to sleep when he heard the doorbell ring. He flinched. His eyes flashed open, and he glanced around the room, not sure what he was looking for.

The doorbell rang again and he sighed, getting to his feet. As he always did, he paused at the door and glanced back at the bloody smile on the wall. Then he turned away and hurried down the stairs.

When he pulled the door open he was surprised to see Lisbon of all people. He blinked.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, not sure what to say.

"How's that for a hello?" Lisbon said, raising an eyebrow.

Jane snapped back to reality and cleared his throat. "Sorry," he apologized. "Hello Lisbon. What are you doing here?"

Lisbon sighed and rubbed her forehead. "My dad was being a pain," she said. She glanced up at him. "Mind if I stay for a little?" Was there a slightly hopeful look in her eyes, or was Jane imagining it?

He cleared his throat again. "No problem," he said. Then, _'Damn it! Why did he say that?!'_

"Well..." he said, glancing back into his house.

"That's okay," Lisbon said. Jane turned back to her, surprised. There was a slightly sad tone in her voice. "I'll just go. Dad just needs some time to calm down. See you at work." She turned and started heading back to her car.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath. "Lisbon," he called.

She turned. "What?"

He sighed and pulled the door open wider, stepping to the side.

She smiled a bit. "Thanks."

"No problem," he said. Once she was inside, he shook his head at his own stupidity.

Once he had closed the door, he glanced over at the light switch, wondering if it was too dark. He didn't care, but Lisbon might.

"So what was your father so angry about?" Jane asked, trying to keep his voice casual.

She turned and gave him a wry look.

"Ah."

An awkward silence reigned in the room.

"So..." Jane wasn't sure what to do now.

Lisbon sat down on the couch, but she didn't seem to notice the dust. She shrugged.

Jane made his was across the room and sat down on the other side of the couch.

Lisbon sighed and let her head fall back onto the couch, closing her eyes. "My dad was being a pain," she said.

"You said that," Jane said. "Why exactly did you come _here?_" That was the question ruling his thoughts.

Lisbon raised her head and shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "I guess I couldn't really explain it to anyone else, could I?"

Jane snorted, imagining what Rigsby or Cho would say. "No, I suppose not."

Another silence.

Finally, Lisbon glanced up at him. "If my dad hadn't gotten home..." she started. She swallowed, looking away. "If he hadn't gotten home when he did, what would you have done?"

He stared at her.

What the hell was he supposed to say to _that?_

**A/N: I didn't like this chapter as much. Hope someone enjoyed it though. Review!**

**Off to take over the world,**

**Crazy Girl**


	10. Tension

**12 Days of Jisbon**

**A/N: Once again, WOW and THANK YOU to all who reviewed, especially those who offered more than just urging for me to update soon. Here's to you, enjoy.**

**Chapter 10: Tension**

"_If my dad hadn't gotten home..." Lisbon started. She swallowed, looking away. "If he hadn't gotten home when he did, what would you have done?"_

_Jane stared at her._

_What the_ hell _was he supposed to say to that?_

His silence was starting to scare her. She squirmed a bit, wondering what he was thinking. She swallowed.

He opened his mouth as if he was about to speak, and then closed it again.

"Jane?" She stared at him, wondering if something was wrong. "You okay?"

He swallowed. "Yeah," he said finally.

She waited for more, and when he didn't say anything, she sat back, letting him know she wasn't moving until he gave her an answer.

"I..." He stared at her, obviously floundering for an answer.

She raised an eyebrow.

He swallowed again. "I... I don't know."

Lisbon let out a frustrated breath and cursed under her breath. Yeah, _that_ helped a lot.

"Why'd you do it?" she demanded.

Jane stared back at her, and opened his mouth. She could already see his lips forming the same answer he had just given her and cut him off before he could give it again.

"And _don't_ tell me you don't know, because we both know you do."

He closed his mouth again. "What do you want me to say?" he asked.

Lisbon bit her lip. What _did_ she want him to say? That it was just a fluke? That he was feeling like crap and did it on an impulse?

Okay, not that one.

So did that mean she wanted him to tell her that it _meant _something?

As Jane would say: oh dear.

"I don't know," she said quietly.

He crossed his arms and stared at her, an eyebrow raised.

She stared back. She wasn't losing this battle.

They were both so focused on glaring at each other that when the phone rang, they both flinched, and Lisbon almost fell off the couch.

After she steadied herself, she glanced up to see Jane pulling out his phone. He stared at the caller ID for a moment in amazement, and then turned it around to show her.

She froze.

Oh crap. Oh crap, crap, _crap._

Her dad. Calling Jane. Oh, this was going to be good. Or bad. It all depended on who he wanted to talk to.

Still, crap.

**A/N: For all those who wanted MORE Jane-Lisbon's dad interaction, just wait until the next chapter. And sorry for the shortness of this one.**

**Off to take over the world,**

**Crazy Girl**


	11. Speed Dial

**12 Days of Jisbon**

**A/N: Almost done... I'm sad. Can you see the tears? XD Just kidding. Anyway, enjoy.**

**Chapter 11: Speed Dial**

Jane wasn't so sure he should answer the phone. But then again, what choice did he have?

So he flipped it open and said, a bit unsure, "Hello?"

"Is this Patrick Jane?"

He cleared his throat. "Yes."

"This is Teresa Lisbon's father," Mr. Lisbon said. "Is my daughter with you by any chance?"

"Ah..." Jane glanced over at Lisbon.

"What does he want?" she hissed.

Jane put his hand over the phone. "To know if you're here," he replied.

Lisbon's eyes widened. "Tell him I'm not."

Jane nodded and took his hand off the phone. "Yes," he said.

"Traitor!" Lisbon hissed.

Jane tried to fight back a smile and failed. Mr. Lisbon's voice came through.

"Could I speak to her?" he asked.

"That depends," Jane replied smoothly. "How did you get this number?"

"Teresa left her phone here," Mr. Lisbon replied. "I checked her speed dial, assuming she'd be with one of the people there."

"And you assumed correctly," Jane said, wondering what it meant that he was on Lisbon's speed dial.

"Now may I please speak with my daughter?" Mr. Lisbon asked, sounding a bit exasperated.

"No," Jane replied simply. And then he hung up.

"What the hell was that?!" Lisbon yelled the moment he snapped the phone shut.

"Your father," Jane replied. "He wanted first to know if you were here, and then if he could speak to you. I said yes to the first and no to the second."

"Yeah, I know," Lisbon said, glaring at him. "I was right here."

"Were you?" Jane said, smiling. "I didn't even notice."

Lisbon rolled her eyes.

"Why am I on your speed dial?" Jane asked suddenly.

Lisbon frowned. "What?"

"Why am I on your speed dial?" he repeated.

"I heard you the first time," Lisbon snapped. "What I meant is, what the hell does that have to do with anything?"

Jane shrugged. "Nothing, really," he said. "Just wondering."

"We work together," she said. "I may need to call you every now and then, and sometimes those calls may be urgent."

Jane raised an eyebrow. "So urgent that you wouldn't have time to dial?"

"Rigsby and Cho are on my speed dial too, if it makes you feel any better," Lisbon said.

"What about Van Pelt?"

Lisbon stared at him in confusion. "Why are you even asking?"

Jane stared at her. "That's a good question," he said.

Lisbon sighed. "You're insane."

Jane smiled. "But you like it."

Lisbon rolled her eyes. "To be honest, no, I don't."

"Not all the time," Jane said. "But some of the time, you like how I scare suspects just by speaking to them. It saves Rigsby the time it would take to intimidate them physically, and Cho the time it would take to... well, be Cho. Not to mention it's legal." He took up a musing tone in his voice. "But more than that, you just like it."

She blushed, and Jane knew he was right.

"Wipe that smug little grin off your face," Lisbon snapped.

"What grin?" Jane asked, quickly pulling his face into an impassive look.

Lisbon rolled her eyes, again. "You're impossible."

Jane opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

"And no, Jane, I do _not_ like it."

He just smiled. She'd come around eventually.

**A/N: I liked this one. It was fun to write. Hope you guys liked it too. And to tell me just how much you liked it, you can press the pretty little button right there that says review...**

**Off to take over the world,**

**Crazy Girl**


	12. Good Night

**12 Days of Jisbon**

**A/N: Last chapter... Aw. This was a lot of fun to write. I'm going to start working on another Mentalist fanfic as soon as I've finished my Criminal Minds fic.**

**Chapter 12: Good Night**

Lisbon stared at Jane. He really was insane. He was a goddamn idiot, and he acted like he was the center of the world, like every case they worked on was all about him.

Yet, when he acted like he was the smartest person in the room, he usually was. He always seemed to know what was going on in a room at all times. And he thought she liked it. He thought she enjoyed watching him act like an idiot and make a fool out of everyone, most importantly whoever they deemed to be the suspect. He thought she liked it.

A voice wondered idly in the back of her mind if he was right.

"You're insane," she stated.

The idiot grin on his face only got bigger. "It took you all this time to figure that out?"

She glared, and his grin grew even bigger.

"And as I said, you like it."

She sighed. "I pity you," she said, shaking her head. "I really don't understand how your mind works. And for that matter, I don't want to."

Jane opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Fine," Jane said, shrugging. "Let's talk about something else. Your father, for instance."

Lisbon looked away. "There's nothing to talk about."

"I disagree," Jane said. She could feel his eyes on her. "He seems far too interested in your personal life. After all, you do live on your own. You're a full grown adult."

She ignored him.

"I think he worries that he didn't bring you up right," he went on. "That he wasn't around enough when you were a kid."

She continued to ignore him, but he had hit a nerve. She looked down at her hands as he went on with his rambling.

"And I think you like to think that you can forgive him, but you hold a grudge against him for how he was when you were young." He paused. "You think he spends too much time worrying about you, like he's trying to make up for time he didn't spend with you when you were a kid. And you think that he worries too much about who you spend your time with. He doesn't trust your 'friends.'" He took on a playful tone. "Like me."

"I can't believe you," she said, looking up and glaring at him. "Only you could think that this is about you."

Jane sat back, crossing his arms over his chest. "It isn't?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "Your father obviously doesn't trust me. He kicked me out of _your_ house."

"My father is an idiot," Lisbon stated, looking back down at her hands.

Jane laughed, one short sound. "We all think that about our parents at some point. It may be when we're thirteen, it could be–,"

She cut him off. "Forever," she muttered. "He ruined my life."

That was enough to stun him into silence.

"If he had been a little less drunk," she said, fury coating every word, "she'd still be alive."

Jane was silent for a few moments, and when he finally spoke, it was only a single word.

"Lisbon."

She ignored him.

"Lisbon, look at me."

She glanced up, not saying anything.

Jane's face was completely calm. "Lisbon, no matter what you think of your father, I'm sure he cares about you."

Something inside her snapped. "You don't know anything about him," she snarled.

She got up and headed for the door. Just as she was about to reach it though, something barred her way.

She glared up at Jane as he said, "Don't go."

She remembered him saying the same words the previous night, yet now he seemed so serious. She stared at him, unsure what to say.

"Your father cares about you," Jane said seriously. "Everything he's done since he got here, from coming with you to come get me this morning, to kicking me out an hour ago, screams that he does. Believe me, no matter what he did in his past, he cares about you."

She looked down.

"Lisbon..."

She didn't look up.

"Teresa."

Her first name took her by surprise, and she looked up. A strange expression was on his face.

"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you," he whispered. She felt one arm wrap around her back and pull her closer. "I'm sorry for any trouble your father will give you when you get home. It's–,"

"Just shut up," she whispered, and closed the distance between them.

**A/N: Was that too abrupt? Hope not. Anyway, there is a magical button that lies just beneath this Author's Note. If you press it, it takes you to a magical world where you can tell me just how much you hate/love my story.**

**Off to take over the world,**

**Crazy Girl**

**THE END**


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